The Konzerthaus in Vienna was opened in 1913. Since it was founded it has always tried to emphasise both tradition and innovative musical styles as opposed to traditional music in the Viennese Musikverein (another concert house).
This surprised me, the outside of the building looks older than 1913...
But sure enough, here is a historical plaque telling us the when and by whom...
So tonight folks, we're off to listen to the Viennese Symphony! Are you ready?
'Ooooh....ahhh....'
I have to admit, the inside is REALLY nice! Much nicer than the outside of the building....
This is the Grosser Saal (Big Room :)
A shot of the ceiling...very pretty....I thought this was very tastefully arranged and decorated - I like...
Here is a VERY BAD 'panorma' shot, but this is what I saw from my seat, more or less...
And what shall we listen to tonight? The Wiener Symphoniker will play Brahms's 'German Requiem'. I am excited, cuz I don't have any memory of hearing this piece before....
Hope you enjoy....
'YAY!' And the audience applauds....
So...what did you think?
First of all, here is Georges Pretre who conducted the symphony! I recognized him from this last 'New Year's Concert from Vienna' that they do every year - he directed that as well! That was kind of cool that he was there....he is SO funny...makes little 'smiles', 'talks to the choir' during the piece, etc.
Ok, now for the review - I thought the 'playing' was exquisite! The Symphony REALLY played well - tone quality, etc., everything was SUPERB! Now, I admit I might have been influenced by what I read before the performance (Wikipedia said that George Bernard Shaw said something like 'German Requiem' was an amateur's work or something like that), BUT, I admit...there were parts in the piece that were 'good', but overall it really was lacking in the 'construction' of it and how things fits together and and and....so, I shall give 'a German Requiem' an 'ok, but lackluster...'
But the Choir was also VERY good (here they are leaving the stage)....
Here we have the Konzerthaus minus all the people...
Au revoir, Georges! You make watching a concert so much fun!
Hope you all enjoyed the concert...I was more excited about seeing the building (hence why I am doing all of these concerts - it's to listen to the music, but also to see the inside of the buildings LOL) and seeing the Viennese Symphony and they did NOT disappoint! They played wonderfully!
Gute Nacht, Wiener Konzerthaus....
Sleep well....
